Drilling apparatus



J. C. OWEN DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 19, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jack ("Mao/Owe.

Mm 1, 1938. J, OWEN 2,109,828

DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 19, 1956' v2 SheetsSheet 2 5 WQLWM.

Patented Mar. 1, 1938 DRILLING APPARATUS Jack Compton Owen, Carlsbad, N. Mex assignmto The Guiberson Corporation, Dallas, Tex.

Application December 19, 1936, Serial Nb. 116,789

8 Claims. (01. 25523) This invention relates to new and useful im-- provements in drilling apparatus.

One object of the invention is to provide animproved apparatus for imparting rotation to a cylindrical drill pipe or stem.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved means for rotating a cylindrical drill pipe which is adapted to engage said pipe and which is carried by an angular drive member, the drive member extending through the usual rotary table so as to be rotated thereby, whereby the cylindrical pipe is rotated by said rotary table through the member and drive means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for rotating a cylindrical drill pipe including an angular member movable through the usual rotary table and having the drill pipe extending therethrough, said apparatus also including means for connecting the member to the pipe, whereby the member imparts rotation to the pipe and also moves downwardly with said pipe as the drilling progresses; the connecting means remaining engaged with said pipe until the full length of the member has moved through the table, after which the means may be disengaged to permit the member to be raised with relation to the pipe and a new connection made; this structure substantially elimi-nating scarring of the pipe, as Well as reducing the time necessary to perform the drilling operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved driving means which is adapt- ,ed to be engaged with a cylindrical drill pipe so as to impart rotation thereto, said means being readily adaptable for use with pipes of varying outer diameters, and having means for reducing wear on the structure to a minimum.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved drive means which may be quickly engaged with or disengaged from a cylindrical drill pipe, and which is so constructed that its gripping action is increased should there be any tendency of the pipe to slip while engaged by said means.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure l is a view of a drilling apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged, transverse, vertical sectional view of the drive head,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the drive head,

Figure 4 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view, takenon the line 44 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal, cross-sec tional view of one of the gripping dies shown in Figure 4:, and

Figure 7 is a view of one of the dies partly in elevation and partly in section.

In the drawings, the numeral it designates a rotary table of conventional type mounted on the derrick floor of a well. A peripheral gear ring H is provided on the under side of said table and is in constant engagement with a drive pinion The pinion is mounted ona suitable shaft 13 and is driven by a motor or other means (not shown). The usual drill pipe extends through the central opening in the table and has its upper end connected in the usual manner to an ordinary swivel assembly (not shown) which is suspended from the upper end of the derrick.

An elongate angular drive member or kelley -15, having an axial bore l6, surrounds the drill pipe and is adapted to slidably engage within the central angular opening of the rotary table iii. A drive head housing I1 is mounted on the upper end of the member 15 and is Welded, bolted or otherwise secured thereto, or if desired, the housing I! may be made integral with said memher. As shown in Figure 4, the upper portion of the housing is substantially triangular in cross-section and isprovided with a central bore l8 corresponding to the bore N5 of the elongate member. The lower portion of the housing is substantially square in cross-section and is provided with a central counter bore H! which receives the upper end of the angular drive member IS. The housing and drive member are shown as welded together, but may be secured in any other suitable manner as has already been stated. It will be seen that the bore B8 of the housing forms a continuation of the bore it of the member I5. I

The triangular upper portion of the housing I-l is provided with vertical recesses or openings I 20, substantially cylindrical in cross-section for receiving rotating dies 2|. Spaced from the cylindrical openings 20 in the housing, a vertical T-shaped opening or recess 22 is formed and is adapted to accommodate a, slidable block 23. It

is noted that these openings are provided in spaced relation in the bore of the housing, and that the dies and traveling block rest on shoulders l1 formed in the housing in substantial alinement with the upper end of the angular drive member l5.

Each die 2! includes a cylindrical pin 2la rotatably fitted in the openings 2!]. A vertical dovetailed groove or slot 2| is formed in the face of each pin and an elongate gripping insert or member 24, dovetailed in cross-section, is adapted to fit the groove 2| in said pin and is held securely in vertical position in the groove 2! by a set screw 25 which is screw threaded through the pin to engage an opening 24' provided in the insert, which screw has its outer end. extending into an axial bore 4!) which limits the movement of the pin. sert is preferably provided with planar gripping teeth or serrations on its outer face and that this face projects from the periphery of the pin. It is further noted that the openings 20 in the housing are so positioned that the rotating dies 2i project into the bore it of said housing.

The block 23 is provided with longitudinal flanges 26 at its rear which extend into the arms of the T-shaped opening 22 and serve to retain the block in said opening. A gripping insert 24 is mounted in a dovetailed groove 23 formed in the face of the block and is secured in a vertical position therein by a set screw 2'! screw threaded through the block and engaging the opening in the insert, as has already been described. It is noted that the block 23 is slidable transversely of the housing within the opening 22, being limited in the extent of such travel by the flanges 26 traveling within the arms of the T-shaped opening.

A large adjusting screw 28 is screw threaded horizontally through the wall of the housing and its inner end engages the back of the block 23 to move said gripping insert 24 into gripping engagement with the drill stem l4 extending through the housing. The outer end of the adjusting screw 28 is provided with handles 29 for facilitating rotation thereof.

A confining cap 30 is provided with a central opening 3i corresponding to the bore of the housing and is secured to said housing by bolts 32 or other suitable means. This cap serves to retain the rotating dies 2| and the slidable block 23 within the openings provided therefor in the housing, and it is noted that said dies and block are of such height that their upper ends lie substantially in the plane of the top of the housing. Suitable lifting eyes 33 are provided on the upper surface of the cap 3 I whereby the assembly may be lifted or lowered as desired.

The lower end of the angular drive'member or kelley i5 is provided with a removable flanged bushing 35, which has an axial bore 36 substantially corresponding to the outside diameter of the drill stem or pipe M. This insert is held in position in the lower end of the drive member by set screws 37 which are screw threaded through the member and engage recesses 38 formed in the insert. This bushing serves both to aline the drill pipe extending through the assembly and to prevent undue flexing of the pipe from wearing the lower end of the body. It is noted that the bushing may be changed to accommodate various sizes of drill pipe.

In operation the drill stem is inserted into the bore of the apparatus and lowered until It is noted that the in the drill bit (not shown) is in position. The apparatus is then moved to substantially the position shown in Figure 1, and the adjusting screw 28 rotated to move the slidable block 23 into engagement with the drill pipe M. It will be obvious, therefore, that the drill stem will be engaged between the rotating dies 2| and the block, and held firmly therebetween by the gripping inserts 24. Since the angular body I5 is engaged in the central opening in the rotary table II], it will be seen that a connection is made between the pipe and the angular drive member, and that rotation of the rotary table will rotate the angular member and the drill pipe connected thereto. I It is noted that, since the gripping face of the inserts 24 is preferably planar, any tendency of the drill pipe to slip while engaged by the inserts will cause rotation of the cylindrical pins and thereby cause the edge of the planar gripping faces of the inserts to move into engagement with said pipe. Since these edges extend farther from the center of rotation of the pins than the midportion of the face, it will be seen that the gripping action of the dies will be increased by such rotation, and thereby prevent further slipping.

For use with pipes of various diameters, it is obvious that dies may be used in which the gripping face of the inserts project either farther or less from the periphery of the pins than is shown in the drawings. Dies suitable for various sizes of pipe may be used by removing the cap 3!, changing the dies and replacing the cap. It is also understood that the gripping face of the inserts may be concave in cross-section without materially altering the results hereinbefore described. It is noted that, while the dies have been shown as including a pin having a removable gripping insert therein, said dies may be made in a single piece.

While the apparatus maybe used with any type of drill pipe, it is particularly adapted for use with flush joint pipe.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A drilling apparatus including, an elongate angular drive member having an axial bore through which a drill stem extends, said member extending through and being driven by a rotary table, a housing carried by the member and having a bore through which the pipe extends, rotatable gripping dies mounted therein, and a gripping block also mounted in the housing, the dies and block being spaced around the bore of the housing, whereby they engage the pipe extending through said bore to form a driving connection between the housing and member and the pipe.

' 2. A drilling apparatus including, an elongate angular drive member having an axial bore through which a drill stem extends, said member extending through and being driven by a rotary table, a housing carried by the member and having a bore through whichthe pipe extends, rotatable gripping dies mounted therein, a movable gripping block also mounted in the housing, the dies and block being spaced around the bore of the housing, and means for moving the gripping block into the bore of the housing, whereby the pipe is gripped by the block and dies to form a driving connection between the housing and member and said pipe.

3. A drilling apparatus including, an elongate angular drive member having an axial bore through which a drill pipe extends, a removable bushing in the lower end of the member closely surrounding the pipe for guiding the same in axial alinement through said member, means carried by the upper end of the angular member for detachably connecting said member with the pipe, and means for rotating the drive member, whereby the pipe is rotated.

4. A drilling apparatus including, an elongate angular drive member having an axial bore through which a cylindrical pipe extends, a housing carried by the upper end of the member and having a central bore through which the pipe extends, said housing having a plurality of openings in the Wall of its bore said openings being spaced from each other, a movable block in one of said openings, gripping dies in the remaining openings projecting into the bore of the housing whereby they engage the pipe extending therethrough, and means for moving the gripping block into the bore of said housing so as to engage the pipe, whereby said pipe is gripped by the block and dies.

5. A drilling apparatus including, an elongate angular drive member having an axial bore through which a cylindrical pipe extends, a housing carried by the upper end of the member and having a central bore through which the pipe extends, said housing having a plurality of openings in the wall of its bore said openings being spaced from each other, a movable block in one of said openings, gripping dies in the remaining openings projecting into the bore of the housing and incapable of further movement into the bore, and means for moving the gripping block into said bore to engage the pipe extending therethrough and move the same into engagement with the dies whereby the pipe is gripped by said block and dies.

6. A drilling apparatus including, an elongate angular drive member having an axial bore through which a cylindrical pipe extends, a housing carried, by the upper end of the member and having a central bore through which the pipe extends, said housing having a plurality of openings in the wall of its bore said openings being spaced from each other, a movable block in one of said openings, rotatable gripping dies in the remaining openings projecting into the bore of the housing and incapable of further movement into the bore, and means for moving the gripping block into said bore to engage the pipe extending therethrough and move the same into engagement with the dies whereby the pipe is gripped by said block and dies.

'7. A drilling apparatus including, an elongate angular drive member having an axial bore through which a cylindrical pipe extends, a housing carried by the upper end of the member and having a central bore through which the pipe extends, said housing having a plurality of openings in the wall of its bore said openings being spaced from each other, a movable block in one of said openings, rotatable gripping dies in the remaining openings projecting into the bore of the housing and incapable of further movement into the bore, removable toothed inserts in the inner face of the dies and the inner face of the block, and means for moving the gripping block into said bore to engage the pipe extending therethrough and move the same into engagement with the dies whereby the pipe is gripped by said block and dies.

8. A drilling apparatus including, an elongate angular drive member having an axial bore through which a cylindrical pipe extends, a housing carried by the upper end of the member and having a central bore through which the pipe extends, said housing having a plurality of openings in the wall of its bore, a circular pin in each of said openings except one, a grippingdie on each of said pins, said dies projecting into the bore of the housing to grip said pipe, a movable block in the remaining opening and provided with a gripping die, means whereby the movable block may be moved into gripping engagement with the pipe or retracted therefrom, a rotary table through which the drive member extends, said dies, when gripping said pipe, serving as a means to rotate the pipe and holding said housing immovable relative to said pipe so that the housing, drive member and pipe descend as a unit.

JACK COMPTON OWEN. 

